Rail anchor



United States Patent Ofifice 3,044,708 Patented July 17, 1962 3,044,768 RAIL ANCHOR Arthur I. Appleton, 1713 Wellington Ave., N orthbr'ook, Ill. Filed Sept. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 140,969 2 Claims. (Cl. 238317) The present invention relates to rail holding appliances and more specifically to a novel rail anchor for preventing longitudinal displacement of railroad rails under traffic.

The tendency of railroad rails to move longitudinally or creep ahead of a train in the same direction the train is travelling has long been known. Heretofore, this problem has been approached by the use of rail anchors which grip =or clamp the rail relative to the ties to prevent such displacement. The necessity for gripping the rail at all times including periods of rest and periods of trailic has introduced complexity and expense in construction of conventional rail anchors.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel rail anchor capable of opposing longitudinal rail displacement or creepage, which is quick and easy to install, is exceptionally reliable when placed in service, and which does not depend upon direct engagement with an edge of a tie. More specifically, it is an object to provide a rail anchor which takes full advantage of existing rail bases and tie plates and spikes to efiect its intended purpose with the result that the tie damage and wear caused by a direct engagement with the tie is eliminated.

A further object is to provide a rail anchor of the foregoing type which is of simple, economical and rugged construction, is susceptible of installation by unskilled labor, and is positive and secure in its anchoring function. A related object of the present invention is to provide a rail anchor which may be formed of a metal providing sufficient resiliency during installation and use as to preclude breakage when being installed and when in use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a rail anchor of the foregoing character which positively ties together the rail and underlying tie plate and thereby ties the rail to the tie on which it is spiked without depending upon direct engagement of the tie for its anchoring action.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following description proceeds taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing a rail anchor embodying the invention installed on a railroad rail.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially in the plane of line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of line 33 of FIG. 1 and showing the tie and tie plate in vertical section and the rail and rail anchor in elevation.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrative rail anchor has been shown in the drawing and will be described below in considerable detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, equivalents, and uses falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is there exemplified in an illustrative r-ail anchor adapted to engage a rail 11 and oppose longitudinal creepage of the same. Although only one anchor 11; has been shown for preventing 'creepage in one direction of train movement, it will be appreciated that an oppositely disposed anchor can be provided for opposing creepage in the opposite direction and a wide variety of patterns may be followed for installing the anchors along the rail.

By way of background, it may 'be noted that the rail 11 is or conventional form comprising a head 12, a web 13, and a flange or base 14. The rail is mounted on a tie plate 16 which in turn is mounted on a conventional wooden cross tie 17. In this case the tie plate 16 has a cambered seat 1? which carries the rail base 14, the seat being situated between laterally spaced upstanding ribs 20. Immediately adjacent the seat '19, the tie plate 16 is provided with the usual four substantially square holes 21 for receiving hold down spikes 22 which engage the rail base. The plate may also have additional holes 23 for spiking it directly into the tie 17 and independent of the rail hold-down spikes 22. While four vspike holes 21 are customarily provided adjacent the rail, it is common practice to use only two spikes,'one on each side of the rail base. This leaves two spike holes 21 normally vacant.

In conformity with the objects set forth herein each rail anchor is of simple rugged construction and comprises two pieces, namely, an anchor member 25 and a wedge member 26. Each anchor is designed to operate by taking advantage of structural features already present in the rail 11 and tie plate 16. When the anchor member 25 is engaged with the rail and tie plate, the wedge member 26 is driven between the anchor member and the rail base 14 to effect a positive gripping action therebetween. Each anchor opposes longitudinal creepage in one direction and in practice it is desirable to install at least one pair of anchors on a rail. The anchors are so oriented that one will be disposed to oppose creepage in one direction while the other will be disposed to oppose creepage in the other direction.

In order to positively clamp together the rail and tie plate, each anchor member comprises a heavy casting having portions for gripping the rail and for engaging the tie plate in a vacant hole therein. To this end, the anchor member comprises a leg 28 extending generally horizontally beneath the rail parallel to an adjacent tie.

This portion is provided with an upwardly extending end lug 29 for engaging one lateral edge of the rail base 14.

For effecting gripping engagement between the rail anchor 10 and the rail base 14, the anchor member 25 is provided with a second portion 30 which is substantially U-shaped and extends generally horizon-tally so as to overlie the rail base. This laterally extending U-shaped portion is of suflicient depth to cover the width of the rail base 14 but terminates somewhat short of the rail web 13. The second portion is connected to the first portion underlying the rail base along side of the tie by means of a vertical reverse bend section 31 (FIG. 2). As shown in the drawing, the horizontal portion 28 does not contact the base of the rail near where this leg 28 and the vertical reverse bend section 31 meet. As a result, the rail edge is engaged by the reverse bend section 31 alone so that the rail base is gripped between the lug 29 and the reverse bend section 31. It is clear that the space between rail base 14 and the leg 28 allows the edge of the base. 14 to positively bite into the anchor member generally where the leg 28 and reverse bend portion 31 join.

Means are provided for receiving and guiding the Wedge member and for preventing the U-shaped portion 30 overlying the rail base from slipping off of the wedge when the latter is driven between the anchor member andjthe rail. One illustrative means comprises wedge receiving channels 32 defined by a pair of downwardly extending spaced lugs 34 on the undersurface of each leg of the U-shaped portion 30.

For the purpose of engaging the tie plate 16, there is provided on the anchor member a downwardly extending leg 36 integral with the U-shaped portion overlying the rail base on the end thereof opposite from the leg 28 underlying the rail. The tie plate engaging the leg 36 extends into one of the vacant spike holes 21 in the tie plate so that when the anchor member is clamped to the rail the tie plate is positively engaged and thereby coupled to the rail. The leg 36 is desirably long enough to extend through the tie plate and dig into the surface of the rail 17 so as to insure a complete engagement with the tie plate.

Turning now to the wedge member 26, it will be noted that it comprises a shank 38 which is relatively long compared to the width of the channel 32 in the anchor member and is formed with an inclined ramp 39 at one end and a large fiat head 40 at its opposite end. The upper surface 41 of the shank is tapered upwardly from the ramp 39 towards the head 40 but at an angle which is somewhat less than the taper of the ramp. The bottom surface 42 of the wedge member in this instance is generally fiat in a lateral direction but is relieved in a longitudinal direction so as to define a slight clearance with the upper surface of the rail base between the ends of the wedge member. This clearance is greatest immediately adjacent the head 40, the underside of the wedge member thence tapering perceptibly downwardly to define an acute angle with the outer face of the head 40. This angle in turn defines a sharp biting edge 44 along the bottom of the head which is sharp enough to bite into the upper surface of the rail base as the Wedge member is driven up tight under the middle U-shaped portion 30 of the anchor member 25.

To further preclude retrograde movement of the wedge member after the same has been driven up tight between the rail base and the anchor member, a detent means can be interposed between the wedge 26 and the anchor member 25. In the present instance one such means comprise a rib 46 extending along the underside of the anchor member in the channel 32 defined by the downwardly projecting lugs 34. Cooperating with this rib 46 are a plurality of transverse grooves or gashes 47 situated in longitudinally spaced relation on the inclined upper surface 41 of the wedge member 26.

Installation of the rail anchor 10 may be effected by positioning the anchor member with its longitudinally extending horizontal leg portion 28 underneath the rail parallel to but spaced from a tie and with the downwardly extending leg 36 in a vacant spike hole 21 in an adjacent tie plate 16 so that the intermediate 'U-shaped member with the wedge channels 32 overlies the rail base 14. The wedge member 26 is then driven between the anchor member 25 and the rail base 14 by inserting it in the channel 32 in which it is guided. As the wedge member is driven between the rail and the anchor member, an increasing clamping pressure is applied to the upper surface of the rail base. By the same token, the sharp angular edge at the head of the wedge member is pressed harder against the rail base and bites into the surface thereof. Also because of the space between the lower surface of the rail base and the horizontal portion 36 of the rail anchor 25, a bending moment is applied to the rail base upon the wedge member 26 being driven into place and the rail base edge biting into the vertical reverse bend portion 31. Under these conditions, longitudinal creepage of the rail in the same direction as the wedge member has been driven will be effectively opposed as a result of the biting engagement between the sharp edge of the wedge and the upper surface of the rail and the positive engagement of the anchor member with the tie plate on which the rail is mounted, the spikes holding the tie plate tight against the tie. The wedge member is inserted in the direction of creepage and generally under the anchor member from the side thereof connected to the horizontal leg extending under the rail base. This leg being spaced from contact with the tie (FIG. 3), the tie will not be damaged by contact with the anchor and the strength of the anchor is not dependent on maintaining good contact with an edge of the tie. Accordingly, the condition of the tie is not a factor in obtaining a secure anchor against rail creepage.

While the anchor is extremely effective in the direction in which the wedge is driven, it will be appreciated that because the rail and the tie plate are clamped together and the tie plate is spiked to the tie, the anchor will also be effective in the opposite direction, particularly so when the rib on the anchor member and the cooperating gashes in the wedge member are employed.

The anchor member is formed, for example, as a steel forging and thus has some degree of resiliency. This allows the wedge member to be driven tightly between the anchor member and the rail without danger of breaking the anchor, and adds considerable strength and toughness to the assembly.

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Serial No. 733,371, filed May 6, 1958, now abandoned.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rail anchor for preventing longitudinal creepage of a railroad rail mounted on a tie with a tie plate having spike holes therein interposed between the rail base and the tie and spiked to the latter, the combination, with an anchor member having a substantially straight horizontal leg extending under the rail parallel to the tie and terminating at one end in an upwardly extending end lug engaging the rail base at a point remote from the tie, a generally horizontal U-shaped portion connected to said straight leg at the end opposite from said lug by a vertical reverse bend portion and overlying the rail base and the tie plate, and a vertical portion extending downwardly from said U-shaped portion into an open spike hole in the tie plate, said U-shaped portion having a plurality of spaced lugs depending therefrom defining a channel extending generally perpendicular to said straight horizontal leg and having a downwardly extending rib in said channel, of a wedge member driven between the rail base and the overlying U-shaped portion within said channel, said wedge member having an enlarged driving head provided with a depending sharp angular edge thereon biting into the upper surface of the rail base, and said wedge member having an upper surface formed with a plurality of transverse notches therein, one of which is engaged with said rib when said wedge member is driven between said U-shaped portion and the rail base to clamp said anchor member securely thereto and in engagement with the tie plate, said vertical reverse bend portion and said horizontal portion being constructed and arranged so that said horizontal leg does not contact the rail base near the end joined to said reverse bend portion, said rail base being tightly gripped between said reverse bend portion and said end lug upon the wedge member being driven between the U-shaped portion and the rail base so that the rail is restrained against longitudinal creepage.

2. In a rail anchor for preventing longitudinal creepage of a railroad rail mounted on a tie with a tie plate having spike holes therein interposed between the rail base and the tie and spiked to the latter, the combination, with an anchor member having a substantially straight horizontal leg extending under the rail parallel to the tie and terminating at one end in an upwardly extending end lug engaging the rail base at a point remote from the tie, a generally horizontal U-shaped portion connected to said straight leg at the end opposite from said lug by a vertical reverse bend portion and overlying the rail base and the tie plate, and a vertical portion extending downwardly from said U-shaped portion into an open spike hole in the tie plate, said U-shaped portion having a plurality of spaced lugs depending therefrom defining a channel extending generally perpendicular to said straight horizontal leg and having a downwardly extending rib in said channel, of a wedge member driven between the rail base and the overlying U-shaped portion within said channel, said wedge member having an enlarged driving head provided with a depending sharp angular edge thereon biting into the upper surface of the rail base, and said wedge member having an upper surface formed with a plurality of transverse notches therein, one of which is engaged with said rib when said wedge member is driven between said U-shaped portion and the rail base to clamp said anchor member securely thereto and in engagement with the tie plate, said vertical reverse bend portion and said horizontal portion being constructed and arranged so that said horizontal leg does not contact the rail base near the end joined to said reverse bend portion, said rail base edge positively biting into said reverse bend portion upon the wedge member being driven between the U-shaped portion and the rail base so that the rail is restrained against longitudinal creepage.

No references cited. 

